Trip To Abilene

TRIP TO ABILENE. This is mainly for my fellow Democrats. This guy and his wife are sitting around with his in-laws in a little Texas town called Clyde. It is like a 100 degrees in the shade. Somebody comes up with the idea of going to Abilene to the Cafeteria for supper. They load into their 48 Olds and drive the sixty miles. They have no air conditioner, the Olds has no springs. It is the most miserable trip ever. The meal is worst in the history of eating They get back in the car and drive home. They walk in the house and the wife begins to cry and turns to her husband and says, “This is all your fault.” They begin to talk and they can’t come up with who suggested it and they discover that nobody wanted to go to Abilene. the moral of the story…ask yourself often: am I taking a trip to Abilene?make sure you truly want to FO something before you make the decision.

FIGHTING TWO WARS

My favorite film of Vietnam and the most inaccurate but then again, it is a satire, right? It is not suppose to be factual and it ain't, trust me. But the film has to bear an enormous responsibility in creating the view that Vietnam vets were crazed drug induced soldiers. When we returned from Vietnam, we found we were objects of derision. If we have any legacy, it is that we were treated so badly that Americans who care and not all do, Americans have decided we will honor vets. They are our heroes. So, was it worth it that we had to fight two wars: Vietnam and one at home. In retrospect, I think so. 

HAIR

I can't think of a scenario that would cause me to vote for a Republican even if I have to admit to having voted for George W. the first time. But, I couldn't imagine anybody on the scene now which would get me to be that stupid again. The recalcitrant, just say no, racist, disrespectful, half truth: need I go on? I'm leaving objectivity to NPR.  And, if I didn't already have enough reasons--think HAIR. Romney already has a nice crop but this Ryan is unreal. And, I don't think he dyes it. Most of the Congress types who are trying to disguise the gray, pour on the "across the counter" stuff. Well not all, the late Strom Thurman, honestly, I think he did his with shoe polish. Sorry, I know we are not to speak ill of the dead. Ryan's hair is not even receding. It is growing down toward his eyes. And, it is as black as the darkest night. How in the world could bald men, those who have hair pieces, comb overs and maybe even the gray hairs, not to mention white hair, possibly bring themselves to vote for a Romney/Ryan ticket. Even the Prez's is pretty short and quickly turning grey. And, then we have the VP: hair transplant, need I say more.

THE TRUTH

Probably the most quoted line ever is Jack Nicolnson's line to Tom Cruise in "A Few Good Men." "You can't handle the truth." We don't know if we could handle the truth because we hear it so little. In particular, the truth in our present election cycle is elusive to say the least. What about "shades of the truth. There are lots of examples. How about a baseball one? Melky Cabriara, suspended for the rest of the season for steroid use. He told the truth after apparently trying to figure a way out. He tried to say, "I didn't know what I was doing. I saw this stuff advertised on TV and thought it might be OK. It was stupid. I am stupid. Plus English is not my first language." Is this the truth? Well, it is shaded at best. His fans needed a way to forgive him. He told the truth but was it the best truth. Wrong? Who knows? Barry Bonds and Roger Clements knew one approach. Deny, deny. They got away with it. Most everybody says they want the truth.  But, do they?

INSULT TO MOHAMMED

What exactly was in the film? Who made it? What were their motives? Was Muhammad really depicted? Was that a Qur’an burning, or some other book? Questions of this kind are obscene. Here is where the line must be drawn and defended without apology: We are free to burn the Qur’an or any other book, and to criticize Muhammad or any other human being. Let no one forget it. Sam Harris  Clyde, this is a very good article. Thanks for sharing it. I think this guy defies labels, I have read him before on something, maybe an article in Esquire.  To make a point, he is even harder on Mormans than I would be. The one flaw in his thinking as I see it is simple: nobody knows really what to do about the Middle East. Do we think a harder line will shake up fanatics. I don' think so. They are ignorant, uneducated, sexually repressed and blindly are willing to die. Plus, they are "used" by those that don't give a rat's ass for Mohammed or anybody, just power  Consequently we do the best we can and another war is not the answer. We are weary of war and look what Iraq and Afghanistan has gotten us. Zilch, other than dead young Americans. I do think his basic point is right. We can't be ashamed of free speech and the government that I trust (they may occasionally be intrusive, stupid, and wrong but they are not the enemy) has to unapologetically say to the Muslim world, f..k you very much but we will not alter our culture because of your fanaticism or belief system; join the rest of the world in tolerance or expect various American lunatics will  continue to insult you. Having watched the video as I said, it is, without a doubt, insulting. As Harris says, who and what is behind it. No doubt about it, The video is insulting and really a sexual fantasy in a way. But, well done in terms of the actual footage (no shaking cameras, that sort of stuff). Costs somebody big bucks. But, nothing to do about this idiot. Clyde, here is one thing that I have wondered about. My belief is that you can't just say you are a Christian as Harris article suggests. But, you have the conversion experience. In my terms, "saved." You are going in one direction, you are converted, accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, turn and go in another direction. In Islam, you merely declare you are Muslim; Morminism, you declare, you start following the rules. So, my question, why have Southern Baptists not pushed this faith idea of conversion?

The NY Times

I love to read the NY Times. When I was in graduate school at LIU (Long Island University which by the way is in Brooklyn), I took a course on how to "read the NY Times. "Every time I start on my Sunday ritual, I smile and think of that course. It was taught by this Professor who could hardly contain her disdain for my southern roots. I could give a s..t less as I was worse then than now. My objectivity  was better than hers anyway and I was the damn student. Good course. And, as I am blogging away, hating labels of Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, I think that those I want more than anything to hear my message are not reading the NY Times but sitting around listening to FOX News. F..KKKKKK

1st DEBATE

DEBATE. This is at least the third time I've tried to post this. What the f..k is going on. The Prez took it on the chin. Romney was aggressive and did what politicians always do: they never answer the question, they answer whatever they wish the question was. I will have to say this: Romney did spell out some things he was going to do away with besides Obama care: mainly Big Bird. Romney loves coal--who in this world loves coal. The f..ker is against everything, i. e., loud crinkling of paper. I can't believe any American who thinks could embrace this guy but they will. I get so tired of this, "American People." What the f..k! What "American people" are we talking about? Most that will be severely effective if Romney makes it but they don't even vote so it sure as shit can't be these folks who are the American people. A last thing. I feel badly for Jim Lehrer who lost control. Should not blame the messenger but in this case, he was suppose to be the man in charge but he took a vacation. He should have stayed home with his grand kids.  {{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}